Vickers hospitalized with unknown illness

UPDATE Brian Vickers will not race at Dover International Speedway this weekend because of blood clots in his veins, Red Bull Racing General Manager Jay Frye said Friday.

Casey Mears will drive Vickers’ No. 83 Toyota this weekend at Dover. A timetable for Vickers’ return has not been determined, Frye said during a news conference at the track.

Brian Vickers

According to Frye, doctors told Vickers that he can’t race this weekend. Vickers is unsure, Frye said, whether the blood thinners he’s taking make it too dangerous for him to run even a lap in his race car or if they would put him in jeopardy of the tolerances established in NASCAR’s substance-abuse policy. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said NASCAR has not prohibited Vickers from racing.

“We haven’t spoken to the doctors, we’ve just talked with Brian," Frye said. “It became clear yesterday morning that this weekend was not going to be an option. I’m not exactly sure all why.

“But obviously his health and safety are our main concern. … We want to make sure he gets right, gets better and go from there."

05/13/10 Red Bull Racing’s Brian Vickers was hospitalized Wednesday with an undisclosed medical condition and Casey Mears will replace him this weekend at Dover International Speedway, the team announced Thursday.

Vickers is undergoing testing and further evaluation. The team did not give further details of why Vickers was hospitalized.

“It is unfortunate that I will not be able to participate in the Dover race," Vickers said in a news release. “Casey is a good friend of mine, and I know he will do his best for the No. 83 team this weekend." More at SPEEDTV.com

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